NAHCON defends 15,000 Hajj 2027 slots for private operators, warns Sept 26 Nusuk deadline
NAHCON has defended the allocation of 15,000 Hajj 2027 pilgrimage slots to private tour operators, stating the slots were given to duly licensed operators working under seven approved lead companies in line with Nigerian regulations and Saudi guidelines. The commission rejected allegations that 5,000 slots were diverted, saying no evidence supports claims of wrongdoing by private operators. Nigeria's total Hajj quota for 2027 remains 50,000 pilgrims—35,000 for state governments and the FCT, and 15,000 for licensed private operators—after Saudi Arabia rejected Nigeria's request for additional slots due to capacity limitations at holy sites.
NAHCON emphasized that Saudi authorities have set an irrevocable deadline of September 26, 2026, for uploading prospective pilgrims' biometric and registration details to the Nusuk-Masar platform, and the commission has no power to extend it. Operators must complete this digital requirement or risk their clients being unable to perform Hajj. NAHCON warned that operators failing to meet obligations face regulatory sanctions including license suspension, revocation, or blacklisting from future operations. The commission urged intending pilgrims using private agencies to urgently verify their enrollment status and confirm biometric data upload before the September 26 cutoff.